The Portland daily press., 1887-02-18
FROM WASHINGTON.
Mr.. Belmont Not Success on the
foreign Affairs Committee.
The Increases for Improving Maine
Harbors and Rivers.
Speaker Carlisle Likely to be Select
ed as Secretary Of the Treasury.
Continuance of the Texas Election
Investigation.
Especial to the PREss.l

| continuance OF the iehao EieCtIon
investigation.
Especial to the PREss.]
WASHINGTON, Feb II.
When the House exchanged the able wal
governor of Pennsylvania, Andrew J. Cur
tin, for the young New Yorker, Perry Bel
mont, as chairman of the committee on for
eign affairs, it did not make very profitable
bargain. Curtin having been United States
Minister to Russia, and having served as
chairman of the committee during the
| XLVIII Congress, was fitted both by age
and experience for the place. Mr.. Belmont
on the other hand was young man. with
out any experience in diplomatic affairs, and
with little, besides his money to recommend
him. His whole course of conduct this ses-
sion has demonstrated his unftness for the
| position he occupies. His management Of
the consular and diplomatic appropriation
bill has made him the laughing stock of the
whole House. Congressman Reed, Holman,
Allen of Mississippi, Burns and McCreary
tormented the youthful chairman so In the
course of the consideration of the bill that he
hare : knew which way to tug.., and it is
reported that he made a private appeal to
the chairman of the committee of the whole
to be fair and just in his rulings and TO give
the chairman of the committee the same
privileges accorded to other gentlemen.
In his management of the Senate retaliato-
ry bill on the fishery question he also laid
himself open to severe criticism. Although
subcommittee of three, Belmont, Clements
and Rice, were appointed to consider the
matter, yet the Republican member of the
committee, Mr.. Rice, was practically ig-
nored, and Mr. Belmont carried the bill
around until he got good and ready and f.
nally submitted report to the full commit
tee recommending the adoption of a substi-
tute, framed by himself and Mr.. Clements,
without Mr.. Rice's aid, and succeeded in
having II adopted by majority of one vote.
1t is hardly probable that Mr. Belmont will
receive so important c0miR...tee in the
next Congress.
The House committee on unpaid pensions
have favorably reported Mr.. Mlliken's bill,
granting pension to Mrs. Elizabeth C.
Grindle, widow of the late Reuben Grindle.
private in Company A., Maine Coast
Guards, and late of Castine, Maine.
William A. Francis has been commissioned
postmaster at East Livermore Mills, Maine.
Increases for Maine Harbors and
Rivers.
Senator Frye has secured from the com
mittee ON commerce the following increases
for Maine rivers and harbors over the items
contained in the House BILL
Portland harbor from $40 900 to $4,000.
hockland breakwater from S15, 900 to S25,O 600
Saco river breakwater from $1,000 to $4,000
Luoec channel from $4,000 to $4,000.
Penobscot river from $4,000 to 1000
Saco river from $1,000 to $1,000.
Also the following new items
Improving Back Cove, Portland, S25 900.
constructing breakwater at Bar Harbor, $780,
Improving York harbor, $1,000.
Improving Narragns river. $4,000.
FOR completing the survey of the Kennebec
river from Bath TO Augusta inclusive and for the
survey OF st. George river and harbor at Thomas
ton.
The House committee seem to have ig-
nored almost entirely the necessities of the
Maine coast and rivers. The bill win be
taken up in the Senate tomorrow.
Pensions Granted.
Pensions have been granted to the follow
ing Maine people:
Minor children of Isaac L. Page, Lewiston.
Gloucester fFS
Isaac l. Page, deceased, original, Lewiston.
Henry n. Fairbanks, original, Bangor.
Fernando 5. Bennett, original, Bethel.
Alonzo Sylvester, increase, Pennington
WIN. ii. Richmond increase, WAYNE,
John Donrae, reissue and increase Bangor
EDWARD 5. Prescott, reissue, Pennington
~ Nelson Gould, restoration and reissue, Farming
Chas; T. whitten, increase, New Portland.
Jas. MeQuaid, reissue, Togus.
The Dependent Pension Bill.
The friends of the Dependent Pension bill
claim that they have enough votes in the
House to override the Presidential veto. They
count largely upon the fact that majority
of. or as some members contend, the entire
Pensions Committee, is in favor of passing
the bill in spite of the veto. Chairman Mat
son, 1t is said, will make a strong speech to
show that the President has adroitly used
certain statistics in his message which are
open 10 other constructions than those which
ne put upon them. Representatives SoWden.
Iownshend and several other Democrats de-
clare that the bill is a good one and
should be passed, Notwithstanding the Veto
Representative Bayne of PENNSYLVANIA. saws
he dld not believe that the President, after
signing the Mexican Pension Bill could be
SO inconsistent as to refuse to approve the
dependent bill. The latter was fairly con-
sldered, and passed with view to reducing
the number of applications for special PEN
sions.. Many of the Presidents recent ve-
toes of pension bills have been based on the
ground that there was no provision of law to
WWarrant sucn pension grants now, after
congress goes to work and passes general
law covering all such cases, not otherwise
provided for, which will relieve both Com
gress and the President from such annoy
ance.
Capt. creely's Appointment.
Captain A. W. Greeley is receiving many
congratulations upon his promotion as chief
signal oncer The new position carries with
IL IT, the rank and pay OF brigadier general.
The Presidents action in selecting Mr..
Greeley as the successor of General Hazen is
very. generally commended. irhe only ex-
ceptlons are the few army officers who want
ed tne place themselves In promoting Mr.
Greeley the President has followed the strict
line OIL CIVIL service reform There was
never any doubt of Mr. Greeley's fitness for
the Office He has been identified with the
period of is years. The only consideration
In his case was the inadvisability of promot-
ing him over the heads of so many older and
higher ranking officers than himself. About
ten days ago Mr.. Greeley filed his applica-
ton for the place. He brought no political
or social influence to bear. He based his
claims upon the fact that he was next in the
line OF promotion and that he was thorough
~ Iamlllar With the requirements OF the ser
vice. The President took the matter under
consideration and sent his nomination to the
Senate. Mr.: Greely's army career is cred
table one. He enlisted as private in the
Nineteenth Massachusetts infantry at the
commencement Of the war. He is the only
| private of the million or more who served
| from 1861 to 1866 who has risen to the rank
| of brigadier general in the regular army.
Speaker Carlisle and the Treasury
Department.
Speaker Carlisle, in an interview in which
his attention was called to the report that
| his name is mentioned in connection with
| the vacant position of secretary OF the treas
| ury, said that 1t would not De proper for him
| to say whether or not he would accept a
| place that had not been rendered to him
that he had had conference with the PIesi-
dent on the subject Of treasury matters, and
that he had recommended the appointment
of Mr.. Farchild as the successor of Mr..
Manning; that he Carlisle) Is poor man,
and would find 1t difficult to live in Washing
ton all the year round without the .opportu-
nifty to practice his profession in the sum-
mer, which he now has. The impression OF
the interviews evidently was that MIR. Car
Isle would accept the treasury portfolio
should it be rendered to him. he is said to
/ fnl ha hoo al ba hOnnrc hn IN